Habitat: in bogs or on wetlands in high mountains, rarely on humus and wet rocks under forests; Distribution: China, Australia, New Zealand, and South America.

This species is characterized by having stem leaves narrowly elongate, with fibrils and pores on both surfaces of the hyaline cells, which are different from those of Sphagnum cuspidatulum and S. jensenii. The latter two species have stem leaves short and broad, without fibrils and pores on both surfaces of the hyaline cells.